Comfort
by Rally4ever
Summary: Post Annihilated. I know that eppie was hard to take for us EO fans, but what happens after Elliot's confrontation with Royce? It'd be an interesting change, if Elliot was the one needing some comfort.
1. Comfort

I don't own Law & Order: SVU or Elliot and Olivia or any other affliated characters, oh how I wish I did. Cause Dick Wolf is a tease, lol.

* * *

The elevator doors closed on Detective Elliot Stabler's vacant stare.

Elliot was numb…

All he could think was, 'I just crossed the line.' He didn't know if there'd be any going back.

When he reached the bottom floor and the doors opened again, he walked out briskly … just wanting to get out of there and head towards his car. He almost made it too…

A familiar voice calling after him from behind made him stop in his tracks, "Elliot…" the voice rasped out his name.

"What happened?" Olivia Benson questioned.

"I don't think I want to talk about that…" Elliot stated.

Olivia replied, "You don't think you want to talk… but you will. I just flew down those flight of stairs to catch up with you partner, you'll talk."

"Will I now? What if I plea the Fifth…"

"Won't work. Well, I have been told I'm good at making people talk… I have a knack for interrogations." Olivia teased as she walked closer towards him.

"I see." Elliot stated with a slight shake of his head.

Olivia near to him now, commanded as she placed a hand on his shoulder,

"So… spill."

Elliot closed his eyes and said, "I almost ripped his head off, Liv."

"Malcolm Royce?" Olivia softly questioned.

"Yeah." Elliot affirmed.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Cragen was gonna pull me out. Royce was just so… arrogant. He wasn't going to break… And all I could see were those kids' faces." Elliot explained.

"Oh, El…" Olivia responded as she rubbed his shoulder.

He took comfort in the feel of her hand, of the warmth of her touch. In a way, he guessed he always had because he knew it meant she understood.

He turned towards her and just let himself put his head on her chest.

He felt her wrap one arm around his back, and she also moved her other hand from his shoulder to his neck. Her chin rested atop of the crest of his head. She just held him.

He felt the moisture gather in his eyes as he told her, "How could he do that to those kids? He was so selfish. He tried to have it all. He didn't think his family would know. They always know. And now, they're dead because he was torn between two women. His obligation to one and his love for another."

She could only reply, "It'll be all right El. You'll come out fine. I know…"

Elliot thought to himself, 'it's funny… she's telling me it'll be okay. Kind of a switch here."

Elliot thinking more about what happened with Royce, "You know what I think I hated about him the most?"

"What's that El?" She asked tenderly, still trying to soothe him.

"He's reminds me of myself. I looked at him, I saw pieces of me. I'm just like him." He breathed out; barely able to give words to what he was feeling,  
this disgust at being able to recognize these things in him.

Olivia abruptly said, 'El, look at me and listen... You're nothing like him."

Elliot interrupted, "But…"

She continued, "No Buts. He could never be like you. How could you even think that?"

"I went to check on my kids, 'that' night. They were sleeping. I couldn't stop thinking about them. I just wanted to see them."

"I understand… of course you did."

"Kathleen she saw me, and basically she told me to either come back home or don't.  
I couldn't have it both ways. I had to make up my mind. She told me to stop using them, using 'my' family… that it hurt too much…"

"You love your family. They're everything. That's not using them."

"Liv, I don't know… what kind of father hurts his kids?" He asked exasperated burying his face further into her chest.

Olivia simply, honestly replied, "I don't know where all this doubt is coming from…You're a good man, Elliot Stabler. If only you could see yourself like I do."

Elliot looked up slowly at her praise, at her comforting words…

He looked up into her beautiful eyes; he'd always known he could lose himself in them, right now he felt like a drowning man.

As he leveled his face with hers, blue eyes meeting brown… he'd thought he'd lose his breath in that moment … anticipating what'd come next.

Olivia moved her hand yet again to side of his face, as she looked him straight into the eyes, hoping somehow by some miracle, he'd see who he really was,  
how much he meant in the depths of her gaze, maybe he'd know there how core deep he ran into her heart, her soul.

All he could think was, 'I just crossed the line.' He didn't know if there'd be any going back. He didn't know if he ever even wanted to.

"Liv…" he murmured.

Olivia closed her eyes at her name, knowing only he could say it 'that' way…

"El…" she replied as she touched her forehead to his.

They stood still there, just like that.

Olivia softly said, "Thank you for letting me do this…"

"Do what?" Elliot asked.

"Thanks for letting me be here for you, for letting me in… it's kind of nice." She said with a smile.

"Oh yeah?" Elliot smirked.

She replied, "Yeah. It's a nice change… don't ya think?"

Elliot nodded his head slightly against hers in response as he said, "Maybe. That depends; will you always be there for me, like this? If I need you…"

She almost laughed in return, as she said, "Always. You should know that by now."

"I think I do Liv… I think I do. Can we stay here like this for a little while longer?"

"For as long as you need, El." She replied.

They just continued to take comfort in each other. They'd make it through together.  
It would work out somehow, between the two of them, it'd all be okay.


	2. Jealousy

I don't own Law & Order: SVU. Okay... Okay... you wonderful reviewers have convinced me... This new chapter is dedicated to you. It was only supposed to be a "one- shot" but... I couldn't help doing more. See, what reviewing can do? LOL. Powerful stuff, reviews. The Law and Order: SVU fans are the best. Really Thank You All sooo much for being so supportive. It's my honor and pleasure to add more to this story. Here's to you!!! I hope you'll like it, please feel free to let me know... he he he.

* * *

That's when she saw them together, a sight that would confirm her worst suspicions. 

Kathy Stabler watched her husband, her ex- husband holding onto his partner for dear life, as if she was the only thing supporting him in the world.  
And Olivia for her part did not seem to mind the role at all.

Olivia Benson, how she wished she could let herself outright hate the person associated with that name. But, after everything she couldn't bring herself to have the heart.  
She knew what it was between them; even if they denied it. She had known for a long time now.

It'd been years since she was naïve enough to completely buy into the belief that Elliot and Olivia were just partners, just friends.

You hear stories about it, news reports, statistics, stating that those who work in dangerous fields, the adrenaline pumping jobs, where you put your lives on the line most everyday together form a unique and unbreakable connection. They often see, experience horrible things. It changes them. It binds them together in a way most never come to understand.

Kathy realized this, yet it was of no help to her now. Rationalizing reasons why she believed her marriage had fallen a part did no good.

She remembered what she had finally told Olivia one day, during an afternoon walk in the park (when she had tried to convince Olivia to get Elliot to sign the divorce papers) …  
She admitted having been jealous of her.

Looking at the scene before her now, Kathy supposed she had good reason to still be jealous. Just the night before she and Elliot had made love, but she knew watching them, how in- tune they were with one another… that even what had transpired between her ex- husband and herself could not come close to comparing to the intimacy that those two were sharing, in this moment, lost in an embrace. It seemed they were the only two in their world, and she was an outsider. Maybe in a way, she'd always been.

It was more than the job… more than the cases…

Elliot just could never relate to her on the same level as he did Olivia. Funny, she'd always thought a wife was supposed to be her husband's best friend for better or worse. After Olivia came into the picture, all of that changed. She had stopped being the person her husband could go to, after a while she was at loss as to what she could do to be there for him. Well, besides sex. After a while, just sex just isn't enough.

It was like a cloud over their lives, an ever- present doubt and uncertainty. She began to wonder how long Elliot would play this game, how long she would let him. How long until he took the blinders off and realized what he truly felt? How long until he realized that his own wife had become the 'other woman'? That his heart was somewhere else.

Kathy had lost track of time… forgot when she had parked…

She didn't know how long she'd been watching them through the window of her car,

But they were still clinging to each other.

She hit her hands on the steering wheel with a frustrated sigh….

She thought it might have worked out this time. She had let herself hope last night.

It wasn't fair, not to anyone.

Not to her, not to the kids, not even to Olivia.

Right then and there is when Kathy,  
the former Mrs. Stabler decided that enough was enough.

She opened the driver's side door and stepped out determined. She slammed the door behind her and started walking towards her ex- husband and his partner.


	3. Confrontation

Sorry it took so long to update, college gets in the way of stuff I really want to do. If it were up to me I'd be writing all day long. But, thanks everybody for all the great support on this story. It means so much to me. I've been looking forward to this chapter. It's been too long coming... but here we go.

* * *

They were still in the same place, in the same position, holding each other even when Kathy was near to them, she was beginning to wonder if it was  
the comfort they were seeking for so long or the warmth of embracing the one who knew them best, or perhaps the person who mattered most? No matter. 

Honestly, they might not have even noticed her there if she hadn't of said his name

Kathy trying to catch his attention coughed out, "Um, Elliot…"

It was then that they turned their faces from each other and looked at her.

Elliot surprised asked, "Kathy?... When did you… How long were you…"

"I've been here, a little while Elliot. Long enough."

Elliot and Olivia were obviously caught off-guard 'cause they hadn't completely let go of one another, they were still joined hips to hands.

They finally did let go when Elliot stammered, "We were just…"

"I know what you two were doing." Kathy cooly replied.

"That's why I was here Elliot."

"Why's that Kathy?" Elliot asked.

"I came to check on you, I know last night was hard on you. That father… and those poor children. I wanted to know you were okay. I see that you are." Kathy responded.

"I'm better." Elliot commented.

"Good to hear, but that brings me to something else… about last night, Elliot. It was a mistake.  
I thought more about it. Maybe it would be best if you didn't move back in."

"I agree, Kathy. I don't want to confuse the kids or things between us anymore."  
Elliot responded.

"It's just not fair to the family… is it?" Elliot asked.

"No it's not. I can't say I've always understood what you do or why you do it, why it took you away from your family. But, you're a good father Elliot, let's keep it that way." Kathy stated.

"I'm trying Kathy, I'm trying."

"I know Elliot, I know. And I'm trying to be the best mother I can be right now, you'll always be their father Elliot. Nothing will change that, not even me."

Elliot stated, "Maybe we haven't been handling this separated family thing the best way we can, we can't bring the kids into any confusion between us."

Kathy smiled, "At least we agree on something then Elliot."

"Yeah, I guess we can. Thank you Kathy."

Kathy turned to walk away, but before she did she said, "Elliot, just work things out for yourself okay, we will all be better off, once you figure out what you really want."

"Oh and Olivia, take care of him…"

Olivia replied simply, "I will."

Kathy glad to have some resolution with the situation, headed back to her car and drove off; leaving behind two slightly confused detectives.


End file.
